How to Choose Breathable Fabrics?

If you are looking for the most breathable fabric when you buy activewear in sporting clothing store, you may want to stay cool in hot weather. But to stay cool, there are more important things than breathable fabrics. If you want to be a little active, then you are really looking for the coolest fabric.

We will discuss the characteristics of fabrics, and then provide the advantages and disadvantages of different types of fabrics.

If you want to penetrate cool clothes during activities on a hot day, please consider the following main factors:

Fabric structure and weight: Generally speaking, tighter knitting or weaving will produce less air permeability, and looser knitting or weaving will have better air permeability than tighter knitting. Thinner materials and thinner yarns also affect air permeability. To do a quick, non-scientific test, pick up a piece of cloth and see how much light passes through it-the more light, the better the breathability.

Moisture Management: Lightweight and breathable fabrics help reduce sweating, but the moisture-absorbing and quick-drying materials use the body's natural cooling mechanism to evaporate moisture from the skin.

Suitable: If your main activity is relaxation, then find a looser one; if you plan to exercise more, so wear sweat-absorbent clothes, then your clothes need to be in contact with the skin to work-it doesn’t have to be tight or curled Too big.

Mesh panels and vents: Some clothing, especially products designed to provide sun protection, include strategically located mesh panels and zipper vents.

Breathable fabric

Please note that the characteristics of certain types of fabrics may vary greatly. In general, clothing manufacturers can mix the different properties of the fabric itself, and they can add modifiers to change the typical characteristics of the fabric.

1. Cotton

There are a variety of fabrics to choose from, including a variety of "non-active" summer clothes.

Advantages: soft, durable, breathable, versatile and easy to care for.

Disadvantages: absorbs moisture (does not absorb moisture), which is why if you plan to sweat in hot weather, this is a bad choice. However, some people wear cotton and immerse it in water to enhance the evaporative cooling effect.

2. Nylon and polyester

Most sportswear uses one of these two synthetic materials.

Advantages: wick moisture and dry quickly; anti-pilling and abrasion.

Disadvantages: Not as soft as cotton; retain smell; air permeability varies with yarn size and weave.

3. Rayon

You will find a variety of plant-based but highly processed fabrics, including rayon, viscose and stone rubber fibers; the properties of the fabrics vary greatly, and these fabrics often have different characteristics in blends with other fabrics.

Advantages: silky feel, moderate air permeability, hang down well, and dry quickly.

Disadvantages: not as dry as polyester or nylon; easy to wrinkle; many rayon need dry cleaning.

4. Linen

It is the stem of the flax plant and is a popular summer casual clothing fabric.

Advantages: very durable and easy to care; because the flax fiber is large and the clothing style is characterized by a more open fabric, it has excellent breathability.

Disadvantages: Like cotton, it absorbs moisture (will not absorb moisture or dry out), which is why if you plan to sweat, it is a bad choice; it also wrinkles easily.

5. Silk

Often used in underwear; also used in high-end casual wear.

Advantages: soft, light and breathable.

Disadvantages: fragile; no capillary action of moisture; retained odor; usually need to wash hands.

6. Merino wool

Often used in long underwear or winter clothes, it can also be a good summer fabric; early wool was very rough; today's merino wool is quite soft.

Advantages: Breath; close to the wick, available in a lightweight, summer-worthy style.

Disadvantages: Not as durable as cotton, nylon and polyester.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.